Magazines and Mag Release parts

[dskinsler83]

Ok so I have acquired a used Stock II that I am using for USPSA Limited. It came with what looks like 4 Henning mags but they will not load but 18rds each, 19 if I try hard but do not feed reliably. I have two factory looking mags in the stuff that came with it but they have the spacers in them which makes them small frame mags right?? Can you not hammer out the spacer and add a base pad and follower and spring and presto chango a new mag right? When you measure to see what you have are you measuring external or internal demensions? I have had to drop my OAL down to 1.150" to allow full loading of mags but still yet I have one of the Hennings is still not feeding well.

Also is there a way to stiffen up the magazine release? I have dropped my mag during a course of fire on two different occasions during a match. It is very very aggrevating! I am also having some hammer follow problems too. I really like the fit and feel of the Stock II and was looking at the Limited version but it really isnt that much of an improvement over this Stock II I have. A 1/4" more barrel isnt worth the money to me.

[Skydiver]

Chances are the the mag release spring is either worn out or trimmed by the previous owner. You can get a replacement spring from Henning.

You didn't mention whether your Stock II is 9mm or 40 S&W. I'm assuming that it's 40 since you are planning on shooting in Limited, and most people prefer to shoot Limit with Major power factor rather than Minor. Most of the Stock II's in the US are large frame pistols, although talking to EAA, they did also import some small frame Stock II's. If your Henning mags have 10mm marked on them, and the factory mags have the spacers in the front (rather than the rear) and are mark .40 S&W, then you have a large frame pistol. The more definitive way to tell is simply measure the external dimensions. (See Henning website with the correct dimensions for each size.)

If the rib is in the front of the magazine, you can simply knock them out, supposedly. (I gave up trying to knock them out on mine after I started denting mine and just ordered some 10mm mags.)

As for the unreliable feeding, check CHA-LEE's thread (I can't find it right now) on how to tune the load and magazine to get reliable feeding out of the large frame 10mm (and old style 40S&W with the rib knocked out). The key there is the correct feed lips width (.385 if I recall correctly); running all your brass through a GR-X with a Lee U-die to get perfectly straight walls; and loading the bullet long to 1.200"+

I've been told that the new K40 mags are extremely reliable and don't need the extra attention to feedlips, , but I never got to find out since mine were stolen in the mail.

[dskinsler83]

These are marked .40 and was told they are K40 mags. I used a punch and a quick rap with a hammer and the spacers came out no issue so all I need is the mag extensions and spring and followers in theroy. And yep it is a 40

Edited December 20, 2011 by dskinsler83

[Skydiver]

Take a small round file and deburr the insides of the holes where you punched out the spacers. Bullets can catch on them if they are rough.

[dskinsler83]

oh and my external mag dementions for polished bodies are 1.355"x0.843" and same for the black ones I removed the spacers in.

[Skydiver]

Sounds like large frame mags... http://henningshootsguns.com/shop/magpads.html

[dskinsler83]

Yeah I thought that too but why the OAL problem with loading? And the rounds stick in the tube during fire on some or cause a nose feed jam. And why would large frame mags have the spacers in them??

[Skydiver]

The large frame pistols are built around having a cartridge the length of a .45 ACP or a 10mm. .40 S&W and 9mm are much shorter than that and really should go into a small frame gun. Unfortunately, EAA in its wisdom believes that Americans prefer large frame guns.

The large frame mags have spacers in them because the SAAMI spec for .40 has a length of 1.135". The spacer is there to keep the bullets made to that spec to keep from jamming up with interlocking rims if some bullets move foward, while others do not.

The problem with the shorter bullet and bullet seated so far back is the bullet tends to nose dive. A partial solution to the nose diving problem is loading the bullet long. (This is also why STI/SVI are loaded long: the original gun design was for .45 ACP which is much longer than .40 S&W.)

The new K40 mags have the spacer in the back, rather than in the front. This fixes the nose diving issue and lets bullets be loaded to SAAMI spec.

[dskinsler83]

Now none of mine hve spacers at all

[dskinsler83]

But still can load to 1.150

[Skydiver]

This is worth reading if you are using the magazines and want reliable feeding: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=76873&view=findpost&p=889005

[Skydiver]

You'll want to have the hammer follow issues looked at as soon as possible. You'll probably have to replace the sear and hammer if a trigger job was done on it, and the gunsmith had cut through the surface hardening of the factory sear and hammer.